US to partially restart activities in Mexico's avocado hub

MEXICO CITY, Aug 7 - The U.S. government will partially restart activities in Mexico's top avocado-producing state of Michoacan, the U.S. embassy said on Friday, easing a suspension that had disrupted export inspections after security concerns in the violence-plagued region.

The embassy said official U.S. activities would resume in some towns in Michoacan's "avocado belt" on Saturday, citing commitments by the Mexican government, security measures implemented in Michoacan and continued coordination on conditions on the ground.

It said the U.S. would continue to evaluate conditions and adjust operations as appropriate. The embassy did not give a timeline for a full restart of U.S. activities.

The U.S. suspended government activities in Michoacan on Wednesday over what it described as a threat to U.S. interests, halting the inspections needed for avocados to be cleared for export to the United States from Mexico's main producing region.

The Mexican Hass Avocado Association said on Thursday it did not expect the pause to significantly hurt near-term cross-border sales, noting that existing inventories and product already moving through the supply chain should continue meeting U.S. demand.

A Michoacan government official told Reuters on Thursday that authorities believed the U.S. security alert may have been triggered by violence following the arrest of alleged cartel leader Alfonso Fernandez Magallon. The official said authorities had also received unconfirmed reports that a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector may have been threatened.

President Claudia Sheinbaum said that Mexico was coordinating with the U.S. Embassy to guarantee inspectors' safety, while more than 1,500 soldiers and National Guard personnel were deployed to Michoacan.

U.S. avocado inspections were also temporarily suspended in 2022 and 2024 in Michoacan after security incidents involving inspectors.

Michoacan is Mexico's leading avocado-producing state and a crucial supplier to the U.S. market. REUTERS